Schmidt



4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

F. E. SCHMIDT.

BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.

Patented NON. 8, 1887.

WITN EE 5 E5 N. PETERS Piwwm (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. E. SCHMIDT.

BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

N. PETERS. Phomlilhogmphnr, washingmn. D. C.

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheen 3.

F. E. SCHMIDT.

BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE.'

No. 372,709. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.

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WITNESS E5 INVENTNR fg, JM-

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

F. E. SCHMIDT.

BUTTON HOLE SEWING MACHINE. No. 372,709. Patented Nov. 8, 1887.l

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. Nr'rnn rares FREDERICK E. SCHMIDT, OF BROOKLYN, NEI/V YORK.

BUTTONBHOLE SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 372,709, dated November 8, 1887.

(No model.)

To all 107mm it may concern:

Beit known that LFREDERICK E. Sorurrn'r, of the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Button-Hole Sewing- Machine, of which the following specification is a full, clear, and eXact description.

This invention relates to a new construction ofa button-hole sewing-machine, and has reference more particularly to that class of machines in which straight up-and-down motion only is imparted to the needle, while a lateral motion is imparted to the cloth-clamp. I propose to support the ratchet feedwheel and work-plate by a carrier-plate to which oscillating or reciprocating motion is transmitted by a rod directly from the operating-cam.

The invention consists in the various features of improvement more fully pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a bottom view of portion of the sewing-machine, exposingthe operatingmechanism. Fig. 2 is a face view of oscillating bar g,- Fig. 3, a back view of the same; Fig. 4, a perspective view of bent slide s; Fig. 5, a section on line m so, Fig. l. Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section, partly in side view, of the machine. Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the work-plate; Fig. 8, a top view thereof; Fig. 9, a bottom view of the ratchet feed-wheel, and Fig. l0 a top View thereof, showing it in position.

In button-hole sewing-machines, as is well known, the cloth-clamp is fed first toward the needle, then describes a semicircle, and is then fed away from the needle. This motion is obtained from the revolution of the feedwheel, havinga slot in its upper face, which is en tered into by a lguide pin projecting downward from the lower part of the cloth-clamp. This pin also passes through aslot in the workplate, such slot being straight at the sides and curved in the middle, Fig. 7. By the cooperation of these parts, as is well known, the desired motion is imparted to the cloth-clamp.

Besides the revolving motion imparted to the feed-wheel, oscillating or reciprocating motion is imparted, in my machine, to the work-plate and with it to the cloth-clamp, such motion being equal to the length of stitch. This motion I obtain from an oscil1ating or reciprocating carrier receiving motion from the operating-cam and supporting directly the ratchet-wheel, the work-plate, and the cloth-clamp, so that thus a double motion is imparted to the cloth-clamp.

The letter a represents the bed-plate or table ofa button-hole sewing-machine, this table being cutout beneath the head of the needlebar to make room for a preferably circular carrier, b, having an upwardly projecting fiange c. Upon the carrier b there rests the ratchet-wheel which is revolved, in manner hereinafter described,by means of pawls that engage such ratchet-wheel and enter through a cut-away portion of flange c. To the iilangec there is screwed the work-plate e, that covers ratchet-wheeld, and is provided with a slot having the form shown in Fig. 7. The upper face of ratchet-wheel d is grooved, Fig. l0, and into this groove and through slot of plate e there enters a pin, j", attached to clothclauip g, as usual.

By the revolution of the wheel d the desired forward semicircular and backward motion is imparted to the cloth-clamp.

To the carrier b oscillating or reciprocating motion is imparted, to impart corresponding motion to the ratchel-wheel, work-plate, and cloth-clamp. This oscillating or reciprocating motion must be equal beneath the needle to the length of stitch desired, and is obtained as follows: The carrier I) is pivoted by pin It to the table a, or to a suitable projection thereon. Opposite the pivot h the carrier bis provided with a guide-piu, t', entering a slot, k, in table c. Upon the bottom of carrier b there is provided a curved groove, Z, entered into by apin, m, upon one end of bar u, the other end of which is provided with a pin, o. This pin may be made to enter directly the groove of the operating-cam p, or it may be received by an intermediate oscillating mechanism, (shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,) which is designed to make the tack or closing stitches beneath the button-hole. By the revolution of the cain p reciprocating motion is imparted to the bar n and oscillating motion around pivot It is imparted to lthe carrier b. By adjusting pin m within groove Z, in greater or less proximity to pivot h, the lateral motion of the carrier away from the needle may be regulated, and

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thus the length of stitch may be adjusted. If desired, reciprocating instead of oscillating motion may be imparted to carrier b. In that case the pivot h is made to run in a slot similar to the pivot t'.

If the tack of the button-hole is to be made, it is necessary to slightly shift the cloth-clamp, bringing it centrally under the needle, and it is also necessary to increase the motion of the cloth-clamp in both directions from the needle. The mechanism shown in Figs. 2 to is designed to produce this result. It consists of a bar, q, oscillating on pin r, and having two inclined slots, r r2, and a circular hole, r3. A pin, r4, on free end of bar q, enters the groove of operating-cam p. The lower slot, r', is entered into by the pin o of bar n, such pin passing also through a bent front slide, s, Fig. 4,

' rod, g',4 to the table a.

having a guide-pin, t, passing through upper slot, r2. A handle-shank, u, passes through circular hole r3, and has an eccentric-stud, c, entering a slot in slide s. By revolving the handle the slide s and a back slide, s2,'a.re

moved, the latter by pin t, toward or farther away from the cam p, and carry the pin 0 and rear end of bar nwith them.

When the machine operates to sew the shanks and eye of the button-hole, the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l, with the slide up. Motion is transmitted'from cam p to pin r4 0f oscillating bar q, and thence by pin the slide s is pushed down, and, owing to the inclined position of slots r r2, it will throw the pin o farther away from the cam-groove. In this way the carrier b will be shifted, and at the same time its play in both directions will be increased.

It remains to be described how the ratchetwheel d is revolved. From the cam 1o a lever, a', receives oscillating motion, and imparts the motion to an oscillating bar or lever, b. The lever b is preferably connected by links c d to carrier b. To thelink d there are attached one or more pawls, e, held against the teeth of ratchet-wheel d by spring or springs f but, if desired,the pawls e may be attached directly to lever b. By the revolution of cam p the levers a b are swung on their pivots, and thus the pawls e will revolve ratchetwheel d. 1

To decrease the play of-levers a Ab when the tack of the button-hole is made, Ipivota bent One arm ofthis rod is connected to slide s, while the other or free arm terminates a short distance above lever b. When the machine sews the button-holeV proper, the arm does not interfere; but when slide s is moved down, as previously described, to sew the tack, such free arm of rod g will be broughtover a knuckle, h', on lever b, and will thereby limit the motion of lever b. Thus the feed of wheel d is diminished.

' It is well known that while the eye of the button-hole is sewed the feed of ratchet-wheel dis to be quicker than when the shanks or straight sides are being sewed. This difference of motion is obtained (as described in my Patent No. 219,656 of September 16, 1879) by the alternate interposition and withdrawal of a small plug or elbow-lever, 11', between thecontiguous ends of levers a Ii. Motion is imparted to the plug as follows: Into the lower face of ratchet-wheel d there is cut a groove, j', one half of which is larger than the other half, Fig. 9, as also described in the patent above referred to.- This groove receives a pinJc, projecting downward through a slot of carrier b and connected by links Z and spring-arms m to the plug i. As the pin k enters alternately the larger or smaller sections of groove j', the plug i is introduced between or withdrawn from levers a' b.

n" is a hand-ratchet to revolve wheel d whenV its position is to be changed. When the handratchet is to be employed, the pawls e' must be first swung back to clear the teeth ofratchetwheel d. In order to produce this result I employ a pivoted handle, o', connected to a rod, p', that in turn' connects with a pivoted link, q', having pins, Fig. 10, that is placed between ratchet-wheel d and pawl e. By turning handle o the piu s will throw the pawl e' out of the ratchet-wheel. The handle o is provided with an extension, t', engaging a lug, u', on a friction-brake, c', acting against the ratchet-wheel d. Thus the friction-brake will be thrown back at the same time with the pawl. o to bar n; but when the tack is to be made In place of using a ratchet-feed, d, a frictionfeed may be employed.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a button-hole sewing-machine, the

combination of a carrier-plate, cam, and connecting-rod, the said plate receiving lateral motion from the cam by means of the connecting-rod,with a feed-wheel having a cam-groove in its surface, and with a slotted work-plate and a cloth-clamp, which are superposed and supported on the carrier-plate so that t-he lateral motion of the carrier-plate is transmitted to the feed-wheel, the work-plate, and the cloth-clamp, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, in a button-hole sewing-machine, of a iianged carrier-plate supporting the feed-wheel, the work-plate, and the cloth-clamp, with an operating-cam and an arm connectingthe carrier-plate with the cam, so that lateral motion is imparted to the carrier-plate, and with a feed mechanism engaging the feed-wheel so as to rotate the same, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, in a button-hole sewing-machine, of a table and a carrier-plate pivoted to the table or a projection thereon with an operating-cam and a connecting-rod for imparting motion to the carrier plate, and with a feed-wheel, a work-plate, and a clothclamp supported by the carrier, and with a pawl engaging the feed-wheel, and with operating-levers for imparting alternately greater and less motion to the pawl, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, in a button-hole sew- IOO IIO

ing-machine, of a carrier-plate with a super6 posed feed-wheel, Work-plate, and cloth-clamp, and with an oscillating bar, a slide, and an arm connecting the slide with the carrier, and with an operating-cam for imparting motion to the oseillatin g bar, substantially as specified.

5. The combination, in zn button-hole sewing-machine, of a earrienplate and cam from which it receives lateral motion with a superposed feed-wheeLwork-plate, and cloth-clamp, and with a spring-pawl engaging the feedwheel, and with levers for imparting motion to said pawl from the operating-cam, and with a pin placedl between the feed-Wheel and the pawl and adapted to throw the pawl out of engagement with bhe feed-Wheel, substantially as specified.

F. E. SCHMIDT.

W'itnesses:

F. v. BRIESEN, ALFRED JONGHMANS. 

